A For Animation Return For “A Liar’s Autobiography”

A For Animation have re-emerged from a long-term hiatus to contribute to the much anticipated feature film adaptation of “A Liar’s Autobiography (Volume VI)”, penned by the late Graham Chapman of “Monty Python” fame. The story is an entirely fictionalised account of Chapman’s life and career, its film translation being the first Python feature in nearly thirty years. As one of fifteen studios commissioned to produce an animated sequence for the film, the Bristol-based sister company to A Productions‘ sequence focuses on Chapman’s nadir as a perpetually drunken sex addict, fittingly scored to the classic Python tune “Sit On My Face”.

“I am really pleased with the successful mix of traditional techniques and digital 3D. However, Jane(Davies, director) forced me to draw a lot of rude things (I have lost count of the penises) and my Mother will be shocked – but it was an illustrator’s dream job!” says the segment’s Art Director Leah-Ellen Heming, who was brought on to help distance the look of the film from its digital processes. Taking inspiration from 50s-era backgrounds and 70s-era illustration, the characters and sets were all composited from assets hand-painted with acrylics. The majority of the character animation was taken on by Jane Davies and Chris Bowles to be composited by Peter Northcott, then lit and prepared for stereoscopic projection by Paul Hill with assistance from Made Visual Studio.

The cartoonised Chapman…and companion.

Jane: “It’s been hard work and a lot of late nights, especially with the stereoscopic process but it has been a total labour of love and I am very proud of the finished sequence.” According to the studio’s press release, at three minutes the sequence boasts “87 characters, 24 scenes,12 locations, 2 Penis Puppets and 1 pigeon” – but most importantly “promises lots of willies, rudeness and fun!”